The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-01

with its varied tones and mingling harmonies.
but rather the sound of the trumpet, waxing
earth and resounding through the encycling
heavens. 1t is a venerable saying of Scripture
that the day OF mans death is better than the
day of his birth When in the stiffness of the
holy Sabbath his noble soul left our presence,
Logan was the foremost statesman of the mighty
West And hereafter, and forever, Illinois will
have her illustrious trinity of National great
ness-Lincolp, greatest of statesmen: Grant,
greatest of professional soldiers; Logan the
greatest volunteer general produced by this
country.
"But wherein consists that strange charm of
his personality that falls upon our spirits today
like holy enchantmentl Whence the magic
spell of his presences Whence the secret of the
power OF that one life upon fifty millions of peo-
plel Is it sufficient to say that his parentage
was honorable, that his intellect was rich in it's
acquired treasures, that he was the foremost
statesman OF the Westa Is it sufficient to say
that he was great soldier, who proved himself
equal to every command: that he was never de-
feated that he defeated defeat and achieved vic
tory when all seemed lost; that from Belmont to
Atlanta, and from Atlanta to Washington, when.
at the head OF the victorious Army of the Tennes-
see. he marched through the avenues of the capi-
tai of a redeemed country, he gave evidences of
his martial prowessl We must look deeper aud
search with keener insight for the secret of his
immense power over his country. His was q
chaneeless sincerity. He was never in masquer-
ade He was transparent to a fault He fAd
window in his heart He was never in
disguise He was as you saw him.
Never aid geometrican bring proposition and
demonstration in closer proximity than was the
correspondence between Logan's character and
his appearance. He was Logan every time
His was the soul of honor. He had an innate
contempt for everything low. mean, intriguing.
He was an open and honorable foe He had
triple courage which impaired to him immense
strength His physical bravery knew no fear
His moral heroism was sublime. But above
these was the courage of his intellect Some
men have brave souls in cowardly bodies. The
cheek of others is never blanched by physical
danger: but few rise to the highest form of
courage. Logan never committed treason
against his intellect. He thought for himself
and spoke what he thought. He was loyal to
his own conclusions Friendship could not de-
ter him; enemies could not make him afraid.
A great name could not daunt him. He had
moro caution than was accorded to him, but it
was the caution of intellectual courage. He
was the soul. of honesty. He lived in times of
great corruption, when the strongest men of
both parties fell, either blasted by
public exposure or by ignorant denunciation.
But Logan was~ untouched. He was above
suspicion. The smell of fire was not on his gar
ments Others made fortunes out of the blood
OF their country, but after FIVE years in war and
twenty-five years in congressional life, Logan
was poor in purse, but rich in good name. To
his only son, who bears the image and name of
his honored father, he could have left an i'll got
ten fortune. but he left him that which is FAR
above rubies. Like Aristides, Logan could say
These hands are clean.' He had self-abnega-
tton which asked no other reward than the
sciousness Of duty done. Loyalty to duty was
his standard Of manhood. When another was
appointed to the command which his merits and
victories entitled him to have, he did not sulk in
MS tent OF disappointment, but fought on for
the cause which was dearer than promotion
When duty demanded the exposure OF corrup-
tion in his own party he preferred his country
to partisan ties. When ne was convinced that
distinguished officer was unworthy a nations
confidence. be did not hesitate to incur the dis
pleasure of friends and the denunciation of
enemies When in 1862, his friends in Illinois
urged him to leave the army and reenter Con-
gress he made this reply: No; am to-day
soldier of this Republic, SO to remain.
changeless and immutable until her last and
weakest enemy shall have expired and passed
away. / have enlisted to die if need be. for
this government and never expect to return to
peaceful pursuits until the object of this war of
preservation has become q fact established
Should fate so ordain it, I will esteem it as the
highest privilege Just dispenser can award t.
shed the last drop in my veins for the honor of
that flag whose emblems are justice, liberty and
TRUTH and which has been, and is. and Ihumbly
trust in God ever will be, for the right Oh,
brave and unselfish soul! How thou hast
been misunderstood, misiudged and misrepre-
sented. DETAINED and wronged by those who. to-
day DAY are the oeneficiaries OF thy noble life
These defamations wounded his proud and SEN
sitive spirit If he seemed to take nfTront when
assailed in debate. it was for the cause he repre-
sented, and not from personal pride.
"There were times when his arden. tempera-
ment mastered his selfcontro He was sensi-
tive, high spirited, chivaric soul. He had pride
of character and power of passion. He knew
his power. but he was stranger to vanity HIS
nature was intense. His emotional
being resembled the ocean. The passions of
love, Joy hope, desire, grief hatred and anger
were strength to him. He could love like a
woman, sport like a child hope like saint
His grief WAS intense, his hatred lnvererate
His anger burned like mountain on fire. He
alternated between profound calms and furious
storms His calms were like embowered lakes
their placid bosoms mirroring the overhangnc
foliage OF the grassy banks. His agitations
were like mountain torrents. leapinc dashinc,
down their rugged courses sweep |
ing all before them. When composed the ocean
of his emotions so placid that little child
might sail its fragile boat thereon; but when
agtated the great deep troubled, tie
heavens growled, thunder answered thunder
the ethereal fire cleaned and burned wave
wave, and the whole armaments were
scattered before the fury of the storm This is
the key to the warmth of his friendship and the |
bitterness Of his enmity He had an honorable |
am oition; but 1t was above corruption and in |
trigue. In his manliness he did not hesitate to !
proclaim his desire nor disguise his noble aspira-
tions.
From his very nature he became the sol |
ders friend. 1t was his tenderness of nature |
that made him the friend of every soldier in the |
war. In piping times of peace we forget those |
who fought for u.s. Not so with Logan He |
carried the scars of the war through each recce- |
ing decade and lived among its stirring memo |
ries He maintained close relations to the |
Veterans. Thrice he was elected commander.in- !
chief of the Grand Army of the Republic AS
chairman of the committee on military affsirs
ne was in position OF power. To-day the three
hundred and fifty thousand veterans in the
Grand Army of the Republic from six thousand |
posts. feel that they have lost a friend To-day
he six hundred and twenty-five thousand pen
'ioners bless his memory To-day the two hun |
ired and thirty thousand widows and orphans
breathe prayer to heaven for the peace of his
;ouL. To-day the spirits of three hundred and
ifty thousand patriotic soldiers slain in the war
gather around the great soul of Logan and thank
nm that on each returning Both day of May
heir graves are not forgotten, but are covered
Elth toXArs Tha 6asis,r 1t 4hat aax |